Fire-escape



2 SheetsSheet 1 J.'R. K'OONS. FIRE ESCAPE.

(No Model.)

Patented Dec. 9, 18841.

WITNESSES:

2 SheetS ShEet 2. J. R. KOONS. EIEE ESCAPE.

(No Model.)

Patented Dec.

WITNESSES AT RNEYS.

lUNrrnn firarns Parnwr Urrrcn.

JOHN RFDMAN KOONS, OF HUNTINGTON MILLS, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIRE ESCAPE.

SSPBCIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 309,19, dated December 9, 1884:.

Application filed May 1, 1884. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J 01in R. KOONS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Huntington Mills, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire- Escapes; and I do hereby declare that the fol lowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved fire-escape, showing the same in its closed position, with parts of the outer frame or casing broken away the better to illustrate the construction of the various parts. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same, taken on line 00 m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the escape in its open position. Fig. dis a detail View of one end of one of the rounds, and Fig. 5 is a perspective detail View of the hinged pulley-support.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

My invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts of a light and convenient fire-escape, which occupies but a small amount of space when folded up, and which can be automatically rolled down or thrown into its operative position by means of a suitable operating-cord, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the outer fixed case of my improvement, which is rigidly secured upon the roof of the building at a convenient distance from the edge of the same, as will be hereinafter more fully described. To the front hinged side of this case A is rigidly secured by one of its sides a curved receptacle, 0, within which the ladder is contained when not in use.

D represents the flexible ladder, which forms a part of my present invention, and which consists of two side ropes, D, of wire rope of suitable size, upon which are secured the rounds E, consisting of two metal strips, E, and a wooden piece, F, secured between the said strips by means of suitable rivets, e, the ends of the metal strips E being bent around the ends of the central wooden piece, F, leaving at each end of the round a conical opening, G, larger at its lower end, through which the wire side ropes pass, the space around the said ropes in the openings G being filled in with molten metal, Babbitt metal being preferred. By this arrangement the rounds are held firmly in position, and all possibility of their slipping is avoided.

In the rear part of the case A is pivotally secured by its lower end a vertical support, H, having journaled in its upper end a flanged pulley, I, and provided at its lower end with a spring, J which serves to hold the support in its vertical position.

Upon the curved rear side of the receptacle 0 are secured the curved projections or flanges K, at such a distance apart as to adapt them to fit within the flanges of the pulley I.

To the front side of the curved receptacle 0 is secured one end of the operating-cord L, which passes up around the lower part of the said curved receptacle and over the pulley I, through a hinged guide, M, the construction of which will readily be understood by reference to Fig. 5 of the drawings, then down through a suitable aperture in the roof of the building, and through the several rooms which lie beneath. It will be seen that when the opcrating-cord L is pulled from below by the occupants of any of the rooms through which it passes the pulley-support H will bear with its upper end against the curved side of the receptacle, the pulley I thereby acting as an anti-friction pulley as the cord L swings the hinged receptacle 0 outward, so as to discharge the ladder D from the same. The flexible ladder D is folded up by taking hold of each alternate round, beginning at the upper end, and turning the alternate rounds over end for end, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 of the draw ings, at the same time drawing theladder up. WVhen folded into its closed position, the ladder will occupy only about one-twelfth of the space which it covers when open. Then place under it a strip of canvas or other similar ma terial, the full length of theladder when folded up, then roll the canvas and ladder up to while their upper ends are bent so as to fit around the rod 0, which forms the hinge for the receptacle 0.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

'the construction and operation of my improved fire-escape will readily be understood Without requiring further explanation. The outer casing of the escape is secured upon the roof at such a distance from the edge of the same that when the front hinged portion of the casing, to the inner side of which the receptacle C is attached, is thrown outward by the operating-cord the upper and outer edge of the said hinged portion will come just even with the edge of the roof.

By rolling and folding up the flexible ladder in the manner shown and described it will be seen that the ladder will occupy the smallest possible amount of space, and will also unwind rapidly and easily, when desired.

The weight of pull upon the operating-cord required to throw the ladder and its hinged receptacle outward may be regulated by constructing the front side of the outercasing so that the said receptacle may be hinged nearer to or farther from its center of gravity.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desireto secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. As an improvement in fire-escapes, the combination of an outer frame or casing in which the movable portions of the escape are contained, and which is provided with a hinged front side, a curved receptacle rigidly secured upon the innerside of the said hinged side, and provided with exterior curved flanges or guides, a vertical hinged support provided at its lower hinged end with a spring adapted 5 to bear'against the curved flanges or guides of the ladder receptacle, and a hinged guide through which the operating-cord passes, a suitable flexible ladder secured at its upper end within the curved ladder-receptacle, and an operating-cord secured at one end to the front side of the curved receptacle and passing around the lower curved side of thesame, up over the pulley of the hinged vertical support, and then down through the several rooms of the building which lie beneath, all constructed and arranged to operate substantially in the manner and for the purpose shown and described.

2. The improved flexible ladder herein shown and described, consisting of two side pieces of wire rope and a series of rounds, each composed of a central wooden piece, two metal strips secured on either side of the same by means of suitable rivets, and having their extremities bent around the ends of the central wooden piece in su'ch-a manner as to leave at either end of the round a conical opening, through which the side ropes pass, the rounds being held in position upon the side wire ropes by filling the said conical openings around the side ropes with molten metal, the rounds being placed upon the side wires or ropes with the largest end of the conical openings downward, as and for the purpose shown and set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN REDMAN KOONS.

XVitnesses:

BENJAMIN BELL'ES, F. A. B. KOONS. 

